


We Were Made to Feel

by OhanaHoku



Category: Humans (TV), Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Magic, Merlin World with Humans Characters, Merlin has a family, Non-graphic death, Protective Merlin, Series Rewrite, The synths are magic users in this au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2020-09-23 21:14:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20346820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhanaHoku/pseuds/OhanaHoku
Summary: What if Merlin hadn't gone to Camelot to apprentice for Gaius? What if Merlin lived in Camelot with a family of his own? An... Let's say, unorthodox family?Or, my take on mashing up the Humans universe with the Merlin universe, in which synths are magic users instead of robots and Leo is Merlin.





	1. If Merlin Wasn't There to See Gaius

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was recently informed of a show called Humans in which Colin Morgan (Merlin) plays an important role. It is awesome. I've only seen the first season so far (No spoilers in the comments, please!) but I already was dying to write this, so here we go! I usually don't like crossovers, but I feel that these two shows can blend together so easily. Thus, this is my rewrite of the Merlin show with the Humans characters added in. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> (If you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend it. However I strongly advise that you first read a parent's guide for it as there are some mature themes and scenes, though nothing explicit is seen.)
> 
> TWs: Canonical and Non-Descriptive death by Decapitation.

“You’re not going.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Merlin!” Niska grabbed his arm, her bright blue eyes boring into his. “It’s too dangerous! You can’t go.”

“Niska, I have to go. He’s one of us.” Merlin argued.

“Then at least let one of us come with you.,” Max suggested.

“No. No, that is too dangerous.” Merlin said, shaking his head. “Besides, none of you know him. I do. And if too many of us go, it’ll seem suspicious.”

“He’ll be okay,” Mia said, coming over to put a hand on Merlin’s shoulder. “Just be careful.”

He smiled. “When am I not? Actually, don’t answer that. I’ll be back by tomorrow evening.”

Fred handed him his back. “You’d better be, or we’ll come to find you.” He warned.

Merlin nodded. “Fair enough. Stay safe.” He murmured before hefting the bag to his shoulder and leaving, walking a path that would lead him straight into Camelot’s citadel.

*************************

Merlin’s steps felt weighted by the heavy grief that hung like a rain cloud over his head. He had met Thomas Collins when he traveled to a nearby town for a supply run. It was pure chance that Merlin noticed him using magic.

The man had seemed like a kindred spirit, someone like him who had magic and could never completely give it up because the gift that they held was too beautiful to be hidden away for the rest of their lives.

So any time Merlin ventured into Thomas’ village he’d be sure to visit the man. Together they’d sit around the Collin’s fireplace and take turns conjuring images in the sparks and sharing stories. Thomas was much older than him, but they’d grown close in the year that they’d known each other. Merlin even met his mother, Mary.

Mary became like a grandmother to him. She was a tough old crow with a sharp wit and a laugh that was as much a cackle as a laugh. She’d join them now and then, sharing stories of the old days before the Great Purge. The tales spun beautiful images of magic users dwelling peacefully with the royals, some even as members of the court!

“Someday, just maybe, we will see days like those again.” She’d tell them, Thomas and Merlin nodding, each one hoping that they’d be there to see it.

Only now it seemed Thomas would never see such a time. Just the day before Merlin had gone to visit him and found his house abandoned and the town buzzing with news of his imminent execution.

Thomas had been caught. He wasn't careful enough, and he would pay for it with his life.

Merlin was on his way to watch his friend be killed. He hated to do it, to see someone he loved be killed for such an unjust cause. But he wouldn’t let Thomas go through it alone. Even if it meant risking his life to support his friend.

*************************

He made it just in time to see Thomas being led up the platform, pushing through the crowd. His eyes were stinging with barely held back tears as he managed to catch Thomas’ gaze.

Thomas stared back at him, his eyes filled with fear and grief, yet relief at seeing Merlin there.

Their gaze broke as the king stepped out on the castle’s mezzanine and started speaking. “Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass.”

Thomas was pushed down to his knees, chest pressed against the chopping block, his head hanging over a basket. His eyes watered and sought out Merlin’s once more. The king raised his hand, the executioner raising his bearded axe. “I’m sorry!” Thomas screamed before the king lowered his hand.

As the crowd gasped and turned their heads away, Merlin refused to look aside, to let his friend feel alone for even a moment before death.

A large lump lodged itself in his throat once the deed was done, Merlin lowering his head, forcing his tears back before he could start crying. Crying at a sorcerer’s execution would be too suspicious, possibly even considered treasonous.

“When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help, magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin.” Uther said, turning to leave.

The sound of wailing had him turning back to face the crowd as people pulled away from the person making the noise. Mary.

Merlin inhaled sharply, holding himself back from running to her as she started to speak. “There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son! And I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth- a son for a son!”

Merlin shook his head, his chest aching for his friend. He shared her loss and understood the way she felt, but he knew no good would come from seeking revenge.

“Seize her!” Uther shouted.

Merlin’s eyes widened as he glanced to the guards rushing towards Mary. His hand twitched, his magic tingling along his fingertips, burning under his skin as clenched his hand into a fist, holding his magic back.

But he had nothing to fear. Mary grabbed the amulet around her neck and chanted feverishly before her eyes glowed. A strong wind whipped up, pushing people back as Mary vanished, her clothes unraveling before disappearing with her.

Merlin exhaled, some tension leaving his shoulders, grateful he would not have to watch two friends die that day.

The crowd started to disperse, Merlin glancing around before following suit. It would do no good to linger around the courtyard, lest someone think him a friend of the executed sorcerer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count - 1040. A nice round number. And there you go! I'm sorry, there isn't too much with the synths in this chapter and maybe not in the next one either, but don't worry, there will be plenty of them in this story. I haven't quite decided the direction of this story, but I will be rewriting a few of the more important and fun episodes, and also hopefully include the knights in here too, eventually.
> 
> Also, here's a quick look to the character's roles for this:  
Merlin - Merlin obviously. Emrys, warlock, dragonlord.  
Niska - Seer, surrogate older sister.  
Fred - Druid, surrogate older brother.  
Max - Surrogate little brother. (I haven’t quite decided on his character in this yet.)  
Mia - Sorceress, mother figure/sister.  
David Alstair - Healer, Merlin’s step-father.  
Beatrice - Merlin’s mother, not a magic user.  
Balinor - Merlin’s father, dragonlord.


	2. If They Had Met Under Different Circumstances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Behind him were several knights, laughing at the boy as he knelt on the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited update is finally here! Finished writing this last night, but I didn't have time to edit and update, so here it is now! TWs: Bullying, Mention of Execution. Enjoy!

Merlin trudged away from the capital, his brow pinched with worry for what Mary might try to do. He had to stop her somehow, or she’d die too. Or she’d kill the king’s son, which was even worse, considering the king’s view on magic. The tyrant would double his efforts to rid his kingdom of magic, making it even harder for Merlin and those like him to stay safe.

He stopped and looked around. Mary was an experienced sorceress, but she was old and did not have the strength in her magic needed to teleport her far distances, he was sure. She had to be relatively close to the citadel, but how close? Merlin wasn’t familiar with the area, had never been to Camelot’s city after the one time when he was seven. There had to be an unobtrusive place nearby, somewhere Mary could transport herself to without anyone seeing her.

Making an estimate of how far Mary would be able to teleport, Merlin started on a path that led out of the town, guessing she’d teleport to the outskirts of the city, likely no more than a few miles away.

As his feet strayed off the road, his mind wandered to Thomas’ last words.

_ ‘I’m sorry!’ _

Those words had been meant for him. The crowd likely thought he was pleading for mercy from the king, but Merlin knew that his friend was apologizing to him, not the royal. He was apologizing for being careless, for getting caught…

For leaving Merlin behind.

His hands curled into fists as tears stung at his eyes, an uncontrollable urge to cry welling in his chest as he finally gave and collapsed to his knees, curling in on himself as his thin frame was wracked with sobs. Thomas was dead, gone. One of his closest friends, killed. A magic user just like him, executed. And for what? Some cause an unjust king had been fighting for the past twenty years?

Frustrated anger quickly followed his grief, tensing his muscles as Merlin hit his fists against the ground. It wasn’t right! Thomas was a good man. He’d never done anything to hurt anybody! It was the king who deserved to die, not him! It was the royals with their hatred of magic and hunting of magic users that should be executed, not innocent sorcerers.

Merlin let himself cry for a few minutes before he reigned his emotions in. He couldn’t afford to lose control of himself. Not only because he had to find Mary, but because if he let his emotions get the better of him, he could lose control of his magic. It had happened before, more than once, and each time it had proved disastrous. He couldn’t let it happen again. He had to protect them.

Merlin stood, scrubbing at his face to rid his cheeks of the incriminating tear tracks. He took a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other, continuing his trek through the woods.

It wasn’t long before his steps brought him to another road. He was just about to turn away, planning to stick to the woods where he wouldn’t be seen, when he heard someone shout, followed by laughter. Foolish curiosity brought his feet forward to the edge of the forest, the young man peering out from behind a tree, just in time to see a boy only a year or two younger than him, stumble and fall.

Behind him were several knights, laughing at the boy as he knelt on the ground.

Merlin rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he watched the boy get to his knees. He was not a fan of knights, never was and likely never would be, given how they carried on. They always thought themselves so much better than the common-born, picked on the young men in the villages, and harassed the women whenever they could get away with it.

“Oh, that all you got?” One of the knights asked, stepping away from the group toward the boy on the ground. “I thought you wanted to be a knight?” He taunted, a grin on his face as the men behind him laughed, obviously delighted to be the cause of their laughter, even if it was at the cost of another’s humiliation.

The boy swallowed and reached up to brush some hair from his face, his sleeve slipping down just enough for the Druidic tattoos on his arm to catch Merlin’s eye. Not having noticed Merlin, the boy yanked his sleeve back in place and stood. “I do! I do want to become a knight!” He said as he turned back to the knight.

Merlin couldn’t believe how stupid he was being. He was so far out of his league when it came to fighting, not to mention that the way he held himself, the way his body trembled, and how his voice shook, all made it painfully clear that he was lying. And aside from that, the Druids were a peaceful people. Only a few had ever left the Druidic ways, and it was unlikely this boy was one of them. Likely, the boy had strayed too far from his camp and panicked when he came across the patrol. Some unknown conversation must have led to the boy lying about wanting to become a knight.

The knight, blond and seemingly only a couple years older than Merlin, based on that boyish grin, laughed again and stepped up to the Druid. “Yeah? Then prove it.” He said, pushing the boy back. He followed as the boy stumbled backward, making no effort to fight back. “Well? Come on.” He goaded, pushing him harder and making the boy fall back and skid across the dirt road.

Merlin shifted uneasily, sensing a change in the boy, as his fear was replaced by anger. The knight was laughing once again with the others, turning to face his fellow bullies.

With their backs to each other, the blond couldn’t see the way the Druid’s eyes started to glow a soft yellow. With the laughter from the group, he could not hear the Druid as he whispered something ancient. But as soon as those eyes had turned yellow, Merlin was moving.

He would not see another magic user die on the same day Thomas did. He wouldn’t let that happen, not if he could stop it.

A soft crack was heard above them, no one paying much attention to it, except Merlin. “That’s enough!” He said rather loudly, his voice startling the boy, who stopped talking before he could finish the spell.

Merlin nearly sagged with relief as the tree branch stayed intact, kneeling down in front of the boy.

The Druid’s eyes widened as he saw Merlin, his face paling quickly. “Emrys…”

Merlin ignored the whisper, unsure what it meant. “Let me take care of this.” He murmured, ignoring the young lad’s quick nod and pallor. The boy was probably terrified that someone had seen him using magic.

The knight walked towards them. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” He asked, and the arrogant look on his face just made something inside of Merlin snap. He’d had absolutely enough of pompous nobilities for one day.

The warlock tilted his head for a moment, scratching at his chin. “I’m pretty sure I was just stopping you from making an ass out of yourself.” He told him, dropping his hand as he smirked slightly.

The blond’s eyebrows came together, looking confused. He was probably a spoiled son of some noble, used to having his way and entirely unused to anyone speaking against him. “Is that so?”

Merlin nodded and shrugged a little as the noble came closer. “Yeah, but it would seem I’m too late.”

Unexpectedly, the knight laughed at that, an incredulous, crooked smile on his face as he stared at Merlin. “Tell me, how long have you been an idiot?” He asked, stopping about two feet away from Merlin, an effective intimidation tactic despite the fact Merlin had an inch or two on him.

Deciding it would be best to retreat, Merlin didn’t dignify that with an answer, instead he turned and walked back to the young boy. He helped him to his feet, making sure not to pull his sleeves down and reveal the tattoos.

“Oh, now you’re running away?” The knight called behind him, “Too scared to fight?”

Merlin froze, clenching his fists as his magic tingled along his skin. He was not afraid to fight. He turned back around, glaring at him angrily now. “No, I just don’t think I’d be very entertaining for you. It’s too bad you were stuck on patrol duty, I hear there was an execution in town that I’m sure an ass like you would have loved to watch.”

The knight’s face darkened, and he placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. “I could have you arrested for speaking to me like that.”

The young man scoffed. “What, who do you think you are? The king?”

A wicked smirk appeared on the knight’s face. “No, I’m his son. Arthur.” He answered, drawing his sword.

Even before he’d drawn his weapon, Merlin’s face paled.

_ Prince Arthur. _

Niska was going to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count - 1539. I know, I know, it's not as good as the canon meeting. I tried my best to get the right spin on this scene, but it was really difficult to compete with the canon scene, so be gentle please. Let me know what you think! What will happen in the next chapter? Is Arthur going to run him through? Is Merlin going to be arrested? Is Arthur the only blond knight in Camelot?! Stay tuned to find out! ;D


	3. If Merlin Was Never Arrested

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If there was one thing Merlin was good at, it was running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene was originally going to be shorter, and I was going to add a scene with Niska, but I wrote more than intended for this scene, so Niska's scene will be in the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! ^.^
> 
> Trigger Warning: Mentions of Execution (Specifically burning at the stake).

Of all people Merlin could ruin into, it had to be Prince Arthur. It was just his luck. Of course, he couldn't run into your ordinary, run of the mill knight. He had to run into Prince Arthur, the most spoiled and influential of them all, the son of the very man who declared war on magic.

Merlin could only hope that he was as dim-witted as the other knights, who were more than often all brawn and no brain.

But looking at Arthur Merlin could tell that the prince was not your average knight. No, he had a glint in his eye that spoke of higher intelligence. Merlin didn't think he could talk his way out of this one, and it was unlikely that he could outsmart the prince, especially with his buddies backing him. Plus, he had the druid boy that he needed to think of as well. The whole reason Merlin had intervened was to save him, and he wasn't going to risk letting the boy be captured.

There was only one way Merlin could think to avoid capture and the advancing blade in front of him.

"Run!"

Merlin turned tail and ran, a grin on his face as he heard an angry shout behind him. He grabbed the druid boy's wrist and pulled him along. "Come on!"

Merlin heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind them, but if there was one thing Merlin was good at, it was running. With his long, gangly legs and his life long record of being a public nuisance and a troublemaker, he had plenty of practice and skill in the art. The boy beside him was light on his feet too, keeping up with him easily enough that Merlin let go of his arm.

The two were gaining a good lead when the boy gave his arm a brief tug. “This way!” He yelled, making a quick cut into the woods. Merlin followed without question, preferring to stick to the cover of the brush and trees instead of staying on the open road.

They ran for a couple more minutes before the boy suddenly yanked Merlin off the deer path they’d been on, pulling him down into a small gully where they ducked under an overhang, flattening themselves back against the dirt. They could hear the distant thundering of the knights back on the path as they ran past, but after a few minutes of waiting with bated breath, it seemed that they were in the clear.

The boy turned to Merlin, his eyes wide. "Thank you, Emrys." He said, voice shaking a little nervously. 

Merlin frowned a little at the unusual term, wondering what it meant. Did the druids have their own language? Fred had never mentioned one, but then he hadn’t been raised a druid, and he’d only lived with them for a couple years as a child.

He brushed the thought away when he realized the kid looked like he was about to have a heart attack. He smiled at him gently, hoping to set him at ease. “You’re welcome. And you can call me Merlin.” He told him, making the boy’s eyes impossibly grow rounder.

“I- Uh- Um, you- You can call me T-Terric.” He stammered, his face still pale.

Merlin took pity on the young lad and glanced around furtively before giving the boy a secretive smile. “You don’t have to worry,” He said quietly. “I won’t tell anyone what I saw. Look.” Merlin held his hand up in a loosely curled fist, which he focused his eyes on as they glowed a pale gold for just the briefest second. He uncurled his fist, revealing a small flame dancing in the palm of his hand.

The look on Terric’s face changed instantly, his jaw going slack as his lips parted slightly, and the fear in his wide eyes was replaced by awe.

A grin lit up Merlin’s face as he watched the boy, and he leaned forward, eyes flashing again as he blew on the flame, the fire shifting and whirling into the brief figure of a dragon with its wings outstretched before it disappeared as if it had never been there.

“That… That was awesome!” Terric exclaimed before covering his mouth and looking around. He dropped his hand and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Merlin chuckled. “It’s alright.” He poked his head up over the ridge and looked around before stepping back down into the gully. “You should probably head back home before your parents start to worry about you.” He said, looking at him curiously. “Why aren’t you back at your camp, anyway? You’re awfully close to Camelot’s citadel.”

The boy flushed, looking away. “I was told not to come, but-” He bit his lip, looking up at Merlin apprehensively. “I heard about the execution, and well, I had to- I wanted-”

“You wanted to know what it would be like if it happened to you.” Merlin finished, sighing softly.

“Yeah,” Terric whispered.

Merlin nodded but set a hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, Terric. You don't want those nightmares. Just go home."

The druid's shoulders slumped slightly, but he didn't protest. "Well, I missed it anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter now." He mumbled.

The boy pulled away and bowed his head respectively, "Thank you for saving me, Emrys."

Merlin's lips curled into a bemused smile, but he didn't bother to correct him. "You're welcome. Try to avoid any patrols on your way back." He teased lightly, though he as only half jesting.

The boy laughed a little as he blushed and nodded. "I'll be careful." He promised and turned to leave. He took a couple steps before he turned his head back slightly. "The man who was executed…" Terric said, hesitation in his voice. "Did you know him?"

Merlin inhaled sharply, his chest aching as an image of Thomas’ laughing smile crossed his mind. "I did. He was a good friend." He murmured.

Terric nodded slowly and looked away again. "I'm sorry." He whispered before he was gone, climbing out of the gully nimbly and disappearing into the woods.

Merlin was left behind, the warlock slowly sinking to the ground. He drew his legs up and wrapped his arms around them, laying his cheek on one knee as a single tear slid down his face and dampened his trousers.

He stared absently at a little patch of mushrooms growing in the shade as he pondered life, wondering how the world could be so cruel. How it could be so messed up that a fifteen-year-old boy wondered what being executed would feel like.

That a boy of seven was inclined to watch the execution of a man burning at the pyre and imagine that he was the one screaming as the flesh melted off his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count - 1133. Yep. Merlin has a darker past in this AU than he does in the show. Though, I've always thought that Merlin's reaction in the show to seeing Thomas being beheaded was a little... lackluster? Like it wasn't his first execution and he wasn't as scared or disgusted as he should have been. I don't know, just a thought. Do you feel the same? Let me know! All comments are greatly appreciated. <3 And let me know what you think or hope will happen in this story! I'll be rewriting certain episodes, but I haven't chosen all of them yet, so I'm open to suggestions!
> 
> Also, just a little shameless self-promo here: My last three uploads have been Merlin fics, so if you're interested, you should totally read them. Especially A Dire Disruption if you like angsty stuff. ;D
> 
> Check out my [tumblr](https://ohanahoku-ao3.tumblr.com/)


	4. If Merlin Met Lady Helen in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was no scream as Niska woke up, only a whispered name leaving her lips as her blue eyes stared out into the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, finally getting some time in with the Synths! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! No TWs for this one.
> 
> Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to restless_joy for their encouragement of this story! Thank you so much! <3

A yawn left the young warlock’s mouth as he walked along the road. It was late in the evening, likely past midnight, and he had yet to find Mary.

Not a trace of her was found, and Merlin doubted that he was going to find her. Not in the dark, and especially not with the way things had been going for him. She had likely found a spot to bed down for the night. Somewhere out of sight and away from the roads.

Admitting defeat for the night, Merlin decided he should do the same and let his feet guide him away from the road. He walked through the forest, not entirely sure where he was going, just letting his instincts guide him. He’d always had a sort of connection with nature, with the plants and rivers, the dirt and rocks.

He didn’t understand it, but he had long since accepted that it had something to do with the fact that he was born with magic. At least, that’s what he assumed since no one else in his family had the same connection.

Merlin came to a halt as he stopped in front of a large tree, the trunk wide, so much that Merlin would need at least four of himself to be able to reach his arms around it. He walked around the tree to find a space hollowed out on the other side, the perfect spot to curl up for the night.

He hummed as he ducked into the spot, curling up and pillowing his head on his arms as he breathed out softly. Being that it was early summer, the night was temperate, and the dirt beneath him dry, the tree shielding him from the slight breeze, keeping him warm.

It wasn’t the most comfortable of spots, but he’d spent the night in worse settings.

He yawned once more and closed his eyes, feeling the way his magic sang in tune to the silent melody of the forest. Like a child sung to sleep by a lullaby, Merlin drifted off to the soothing song of the sleeping woods.

*************************

_ A soul-gripping aria of mourning fills the room. Candles go out. Cobwebs grow over sleeping bodies. A prince sleeps. A dagger flies. And familiar blue eyes flash gold. _

There was no scream as Niska woke up, only a whispered name leaving her lips as her blue eyes stared out into the darkness.

_ “Merlin.” _

*************************

“Someone needs to go after Merlin,” Niska said the next morning as she stepped into the kitchen.

Mia looked up from the food she was preparing. “Why? What’s wrong, Niska?” She asked, setting down the knife she was using.

“Did you have another dream?” Fred asked from the table, his eyes closed in meditation.

She nodded. “Someone’s going to kill the prince.”

Fred opened one eye to look at her. “Prince Arthur?”

“Yes. And if Merlin is still in the city, then he’s in trouble. The woman is going to use magic. If that happens, then the king is going to kill anyone even suspected of magic. And we all know Merlin isn’t the most subtle when it comes to using his magic. He gets away with it because he doesn’t usually need a spell, but if anyone catches even a glimpse of his eyes, then he could end up on the chopping block!”

Max froze in the doorway, a basket of eggs in hand. “Merlin’s in trouble?”

“Niska, why don’t you tell us what exactly you saw in your dream?” Mia suggested, taking the basket from Max and gently guiding him to sit down at the table.

The blonde joined them at the table, recounting her dream in greater detail.

Mia sighed as Niska finished, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “One of us has to go warn him.”

“I’ll go.” Fred volunteered.

“And get beheaded yourself? Brilliant.” Niska asked, reaching over to grab his arm. “One look, at your tattoos, and they’ll know you’re a Druid.” She reminded him, holding up his wrist to put his ink on display.

Fred yanked his hand away. “What? And I suppose you’d be a better choice to go out? Your magic is unstable. You don’t have control over it, yet,” He reminded her pointedly.

Niska’s jaw muscles twitched as she gritted her teeth. “Actually, I was thinking Max or Mia should go.” She bit out, though she had been going to volunteer herself.

Max spoke up quietly. “I can go. I’ve been with Merlin to the villages more than you three have, I know how to move around without gaining a lot of attention, and I know which routes are best to take if I have to run.” He smiled at Mia. “Besides, Ada’s going to give birth soon, and you need to be here to make sure it goes well.” He mentioned, talking of their pregnant milk cow.

Mia nodded, reaching out to take Max’s hands in hers. “Be careful. We’re counting on you to bring Merlin and yourself home safe.”

He nodded, squeezing her hands in reassurance. “I promise I won’t let you down.”

*************************

Merlin was walking through the wood, heading back to the road, when he came across an encampment, Camelot knights patrolling the area.

Not wanting to get involved with any knights again, Merlin turned to leave, his breath catching in his throat as a sword was held to his throat. He smiled a little up at the burly knight, raising his hands in surrender.

A moment later, he was being roughly shoved into the clearing. “Found this boy lurking in the woods.” The knight reported to his superior.

The new man looked down at Merlin, frowning. “What are you doing here, boy?”

Merlin gave the man what he hoped was a disarming smile. “Just taking a walk, Sir. I’m a traveler passing through.”

“We don’t get many lone travelers in this area. Too many bandits.” The man said, narrowing his eyes at him.

“What’s going on here?” A voice called, a beautiful, older woman walking out a large tent.

“Just asking this boy some questions.” The man answered. “He was sneaking around in the woods. He could be part of the troop of bandits that are known in this area.”

The woman stopped as she caught sight of Merlin. She smiled then, warm and kind. “This boy is no bandit.” She said, a bit of a laugh in her voice. She turned back to the knight. “He shall have breakfast with us.” She ordered.

The man’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “My Lady, I really don’t think that’s advisable-”

“Oh, nonsense.” She said, waving off his concern, looking back at Merlin. “Tell me, what’s your name, boy?”

Merlin let himself relax as the leader waved the other knight back to his post. “Merlin.” He said, reaching forward to shake her hand, a grin on his face.

“Merlin.” She repeated, catching his hand in both of hers. “It’s lovely to meet you, Merlin. I’m Lady Helen. Please, won’t you join me for breakfast? One traveler should help another, don’t you think?”

The young warlock laughed, nodding. “I’d be honored.” He told her, withdrawing his hand and bowing with a little flair. “My Lady.”

The woman laughed, giving a slight curtsy in return before turning to guide him to the campfire.

Merlin straightened, breathing out some leftover tension before following her. He still had to find Mary, but he could take a little time to have breakfast first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count - 1246. And here we go! I meant for this chapter to go in a slightly different direction, but I like the way it turned out, even if it's not as action-packed. Let me know what you guys think, comments are greatly appreciated! :D
> 
> And feel free to check out my [tumblr](https://ohanahoku-ao3.tumblr.com/) if you want to keep updated on what stories I'll be working on next!


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